The jury for the Women's Board Award 2024 consists of professional board leaders of both genders who agree that diversity promotes value creation and thus results. Jury chairman Lars Rasmussen, chairman of the board of Lundbeck, Coloplast and LimaCorporate, and head of the think tank EQUALIS, says:

"There are good trends in many of the largest companies in Denmark, which are showing the way towards greater gender diversity in the boardrooms. But it is far from everyone who has solved the diversity challenge. Some justify this by the fact that it is difficult to find women who can and will take on the task. We do not recognize that problem. When we clarify the field of candidates for the Women's Board Award, we find it rather a challenge to reduce the field to just three nominees. So I can only state that there is a large talent pool to choose from for the companies that want to upgrade in terms of skills as well as diversity."

Significant companies behind the award

The search partner behind the award, Mercuri Urval, confirms that there is great potential among women:

"We know – through our methodical work with recruitment and leadership development – that the many female talents exist and can make a big difference at board level. For us, it is both about highlighting talented women who are already active at board level, but also about focusing on the low proportion of women on boards," explains Hanne Pihl, partner at Mercuri Urval and responsible for the selection of candidates.

Kirsten Aaskov Mikkelsen, partner at Deloitte, adds:

"Diversity in leadership is about creating a better business by ensuring that no managerial potential is lost. Diversity thus makes good business sense. Celebrating female board members is very much about seeing the leadership potential – rather than the gender – and focusing on competent and qualified board members who create results and make a difference."

Trine Ahrenkiel, HR and Communications Director at Nykredit, also points out the importance of large companies taking joint responsibility for the development:

"Nykredit is owned by associations – and we believe that we have a special responsibility to ensure equal opportunities for men and women. Through the Women's Board Award, we help to celebrate and highlight the female business leaders who inspire and are role models for so many – including our own employees," she explains.

The Women's Board Award marks the 10th anniversary under the theme 'Diversity in progress'. Despite the statistics, there is much to celebrate, including 10 years of award winners and a growing pool of competent, female board candidates who have the potential to be role models for leaders and board leaders of both genders.

The three nominees for the Women's Board Award 2024 are:

Britt Meelby Jensen, CEO, Ambu A/S

Current directorships in Novo Holdings, Hempel Foundation and Hempel Invest

Read more about Britt here.

Nana Bule, Operating Advisor, Goldman Sachs

Current board positions in the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Arla Foods, Energinet and Carbfix, as well as chairperson of the government's Digitalisation Council and NEKST, renewable energy on land

Read more about Nana here.

Helle Ø. Kristiansen, CEO, Danske Commodities

Current board positions in DSV, Systematic and ARoS Kunstmuseum

Read more about Helle here.

Helle Ø. Kristiansen, CEO, Danske Commodities

Helle started her career in the banking world. In 2010, she started working in the energy and tech industry and has helped build Danske Commodities – where she is currently CEO – into a global and significant player in the energy market. Current board positions in DSV, Systematic and ARoS Art Museum. Previous directorships: DS NORDEN and Stauning Whisky.

Britt Meelby Jensen, CEO, Ambu A/S

For two decades, Britt has worked in senior positions within life science at Novo Nordisk, Dako, Zealand Pharma and Atos Medical. Since 2022, she has been CEO of Ambu A/S, a position she came to after having been part of the company's board for a number of years. Current directorships: Novo Holdings, Hempel Foundation and Hempel Invest. Previous directorships: Ambu A/S and Bioporto.

Nana Bule, Operating Advisor, Goldman Sachs

Nana has worked in senior positions in the tech industry for more than two decades, most recently as CEO of Microsoft Denmark & Iceland from 2019-2023. Today, she works in the intersection between digitalization and green transition as an advisor to one of the world's largest private equity funds. Current board positions: Novo Nordisk Foundation, Arla Foods, Energinet and Carbfix, as well as chairperson of the government's Digitalisation Council and the national energy crisis team's efforts for renewable energy on land. Previous board positions: Motosumo and Wonderful Copenhagen.

For further information, please contact:

Ulrika Mårtensson, Project Manager, Women's Board Award, ulrika@improvementby.dk, tel. 2338 3072

The press is welcome at the award ceremony. Registration for Ulrika Mårtensson.